HMS Birkenhead (1845) | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Iron hull; renamed HMS Birkenhead before commissioning. </td></tr> HMS Birkenhead, also referred to as HM Troopship Birkenhead or steam frigate Birkenhead, [3] was one of the first iron-hulled ships built for the Royal Navy . [4] She was designed as a frigate , but was converted to a troopship before being commissioned. [1] On 26 February 1852, while transporting troops to Algoa Bay , she was wrecked at Danger Point near Gansbaai , 140 kilometres from Cape Town, South Africa. There were not enough serviceable lifeboats for all the passengers, and the soldiers famously stood firm, thereby allowing the women and children to board the boats safely. Only 193 of the 643 people on board survived, and the soldiers' chivalry gave rise to the " women and children first " protocol when abandoning ship, while the "Birkenhead drill" of Rudyard Kipling's poem came to describe courage in face of hopeless circumstances.

Contents Edit The Birkenhead was laid down at John Laird 's shipyard at Birkenhead as the frigate HMS Vulcan, but renamed soon after to Birkenhead after the town where she was built. [5] She had two 564 horsepower (421 kW) steam engines from Forrester & Co that drove a pair of 6-metre (20 ft) paddle wheels, and two masts rigged as a brig . [1] [6] According to her designer, John Laird: [1] The designs I submitted, and which were finally approved, were of a vessel 210 feet (64 m) long (being about 20 feet (6.1 m) longer than any vessel of her class had been built), and 37•6 beam with a displacement of 1918 tons on the load water-line of 15•9. The only change made by authorities at the Admiralty in these designs was the position of the paddle shaft, which they ordered to be moved several feet more forward; the change was unfortunate as it makes the vessel, unless due care is taken in stowing the hold, trim by the head.

With this exception, I am answerable for the model, specification, displacement and general arrangement of the hull of the vessel. The ship was divided into eight watertight compartments, while the engine room was divided by two longitudinal bulkheads into four compartments, making 12 watertight compartments in total. [1] She had a round stern and a bow that ended in a large figurehead of Vulcan, holding a hammer in one hand, and some of "the bolts of Jove" that he had just forged in the other. [7] Her armament was originally intended to be two 96-pound pivot guns , one forward and the other aft, and four 68-pounder broadside guns. [7] [Note 1] The Birkenhead was launched on 30 December 1845 by the Marchioness of Westminster . [7] [8] Her hull then weighed 903 tons and drew 9.75 feet (2.97 m), although she was at this time missing approximately 15 tons of cabin fittings. Machinery, stores, and other fittings were expected to add an additional 1,000 or so tons, increasing her draught six more feet.

[1] She undertook her maiden voyage to Plymouth in 1846, averaging 12 knots (22 km/h) to 13 knots (24 km/h) for the journey. [1] She remained laid up for some time, before being put to varied use around England, Scotland and Ireland. In November 1846, Isambard Kingdom Brunel 's iron ship SS Great Britain ran aground on the sands of Dundrum Bay , Ireland. There was doubt as to whether she could be re-floated. Brunel advised that if anyone could rescue the ship then the man to do it was the naval engineer James Bremner . He was engaged and the Great Britain was re-floated on 27 August 1847 with the assistance of HMS Birkenhead. [6] [Note 2] The Birkenhead was never commissioned as a frigate, as two factors came into play while she was still under construction, that resulted in her being converted into a troopship .

[1] Firstly, the Royal Navy 's warships were switched from paddle wheels to more efficient propeller propulsion, following an experiment organised by the Admiralty in 1845 in which the benefits of the propeller over the paddle wheel were dramatically demonstrated. [9] Secondly, the Admiralty had doubts about the effects of cannon shot against iron hulls — in a number of trials carried out at Royal Arsenal in 1845, at lower velocities shot made a jagged hole that was hard to plug. [10] As part of her conversion to a troopship in 1851, a forecastle and poop deck were added to the Birkenhead to increase her accommodation, [1] and a third mast added, to change her sail plan to a barquentine . [6] Although she never served as a warship , she was faster and more comfortable than any of the wooden sail-driven troopships of the time, making the trip from the Cape in 37 days in October 1850.

[1] Final voyage Simon's Bay Western Cape, South Africa In January 1852, under the command of Captain Robert Salmond RN, the Birkenhead left Portsmouth conveying troops from ten different regiments, [11] including the 74th Regiment of Foot and Queen's Royal Regiment , to the 8th Xhosa War (then called the " Kaffir War") against the Xhosa in South Africa. On 5 January, she picked up more soldiers at Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland, and conveyed some officers' wives and families. On 23 February 1852, Birkenhead docked briefly at Simonstown, near Cape Town. Most of the women and children disembarked along with a number of sick soldiers. Nine cavalry horses, several bales of hay and 35 tons of coal were loaded for the last leg of the voyage to Algoa Bay . [7] She sailed from Simon's Bay at 06:00 on 25 February 1852 with between 630 [12] and 643 men, women and children aboard, the exact number being in some doubt.

In order to make the best possible speed, Captain Salmond decided to hug the South African coast, setting a course that was generally within 3 miles (4.8 km) of the shore. Using her paddle wheels, she maintained a steady speed of 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h). The sea was calm and the night was clear as she left False Bay and headed east. [11] "The Wreck of the Birkenhead" (ca 1892) by Thomas M Hemy Shortly before 02:00 on 26 February, while Birkenhead was travelling at a speed of 8 knots (15 km/h), the leadsman made soundings of 12 fathoms (22 m). Before he could take another sounding, she struck an uncharted rock at Script error with Script error of water beneath her bows and Script error at her stern. [1] The rock lies near Danger Point (today near Gansbaai , Western Cape). Barely submerged, it is clearly visible in rough seas, but it is not immediately apparent in calmer conditions.

Captain Salmond rushed on deck and ordered the anchor to be dropped, the quarter-boats to be lowered, and a turn astern to be given by the engines. However, as the ship backed off the rock, the sea rushed into the large hole made by the collision and the ship struck again, buckling the plates of the forward bilge and ripping open the bulkheads. Shortly, the forward compartments and the engine rooms were flooded, and over 100 soldiers were drowned in their berths. [2] The surviving soldiers mustered and awaited their officers' orders. Salmond ordered Colonel Seton to send men to the chain pumps ; sixty were directed to this task, sixty more were assigned to the tackles of the lifeboats, and the rest were assembled on the poop deck in order to raise the forward part of the ship. [3] The women and children were placed in the ship's cutter , which lay alongside. Two other boats were manned, but one was immediately swamped and the other could not be launched due to poor maintenance and paint on the winches, leaving only three boats available. The two large boats, with capacities of 150 men each, were not among them.

[4] The surviving officers and men assembled on deck, where Lieutenant-Colonel Seton of the 74th Foot took charge of all military personnel and stressed the necessity of maintaining order and discipline to his officers. As a survivor later recounted: "Almost everybody kept silent, indeed nothing was heard, but the kicking of the horses and the orders of Salmond, all given in a clear firm voice." [4] The Wreck of the Birkenhead (1901) by Charles Dixon Ten minutes after the first impact, the engines still turning astern, the ship struck again beneath the engine room, tearing open her bottom. She instantly broke in two just aft of the mainmast. The funnel went over the side and the forepart of the ship sank at once. The stern section, now crowded with men, floated for a few minutes before sinking. Just before she sank, Salmond called out that "all those who can swim jump overboard, and make for the boats". Colonel Seton, however, recognising that rushing the lifeboats would risk swamping them and endangering the women and children, ordered the men to stand fast, and only three men made the attempt.

The cavalry horses were freed and driven into the sea in the hope that they might be able to swim ashore. The soldiers did not move, even as the ship broke up barely 20 minutes after striking the rock. Some of the soldiers managed to swim the Script error to shore over the next 12 hours, often hanging on to pieces of the wreck to stay afloat, but most drowned, died of exposure or were taken by sharks. I remained on the wreck until she went down; the suction took me down some way, and a man got hold of my leg, but I managed to kick him off and came up and struck out for some pieces of wood that were on the water and started for land, about two miles off. I was in the water about five hours, as the shore was so rocky and the surf ran so high that a great many were lost trying to land. Nearly all those that took to the water without their clothes on were taken by sharks; hundreds of them were all round us, and I saw men taken by them close to me, but as I was dressed (having on a flannel shirt and trousers) they preferred the others.

I was not in the least hurt, and am happy to say, kept my head clear; most of the officers lost their lives from losing their presence of mind and trying to take money with them, and from not throwing off their coats. - Letter from Lieutenant J.F. Girardot, 43rd Light Infantry , to his father, 1 March 1852. [1] The next morning, the schooner Lioness discovered one of the cutters, and after saving the occupants of the second boat made her way to the scene of the disaster. Arriving in the afternoon, she found 40 people still clinging to the rigging. It was reported that of the approximately 643 people aboard, only 193 were saved. Captain Edward WC Wright of the 91st Argyllshire Regiment was the most senior army officer to survive; he was awarded a brevet majority for his actions during the ordeal, dated 26 February 1852. [2] [3] The number of personnel aboard is in some doubt, but an estimate of 638 was published in The Times.

It is generally thought that the survivors comprised 113 soldiers (all ranks), 6 Royal Marines, 54 seamen (all ranks), 7 women, 13 children and at least one male civilian, [4] but these numbers cannot be substantiated, as muster rolls and books were lost with the ship. Of the horses, eight made it safely to land, while the ninth had its leg broken while being pushed into the sea. [5] Aftermath Edit Danger Point lighthouse, erected near Gansbaai after the incident A number of sailors were court martialled as a result of the accident. The court was held on 8 May 1852 on board HMS Victory in Portsmouth, and attracted a great deal of interest. However as none of the senior naval officers of the Birkenhead survived, no-one was found to be to blame.

[6] [7] Captain Edward WC Wright of the 91st Argyllshire Regiment told the court martial: [8] The order and regularity that prevailed on board, from the moment the ship struck till she totally disappeared, far exceeded anything that I had thought could be affected by the best discipline; and it is the more to be wondered at seeing that most of the soldiers were but a short time in the service. Everyone did as he was directed and there was not a murmur or cry amongst them until the ship made her final plunge – all received their orders and carried them out as if they were embarking instead of going to the bottom – I never saw any embarkation conducted with so little noise or confusion. In 1895, a lighthouse was erected at Danger Point to warn shipping of the dangerous reef. The lighthouse is about Script error tall and is visible for approximately Script error. In 1936, a remembrance plate for the Birkenhead was affixed to its base by the Navy League of South Africa. A new Birkenhead memorial was erected nearby in March 1995. [1] In December 2001, the plaque was moved closer to the lighthouse.

A memorial in St Giles' Cathedral , Edinburgh, bears the following inscription: In memory of Lieut.-Colonel Alexander Seton, Ensign Alex. C. Russell, and forty-eight N.C.O.s and men of the 74th Highlanders who were drowned at the wreck of H.M.S. 'Birkenhead' on the 26th February 1852, off Point Danger, Cape of Good Hope, after all the women and children on board had been safely landed in the ship's boats. Frederick William IV of Prussia recognised the bravery of the soldiers and ordered an account of the incident to be read at the head of every regiment in his army. [2] Queen Victoria ordered the erection of an official Birkenhead monument at the Chelsea Royal Hospital .Script errorScript error[ citation needed ] In 1892, Thomas M. M. Hemy painted a widely admired maritime depiction of the incident, "The wreck of the Birkenhead". [1] [2] Prints of this painting were distributed to the public.

[3] In 1977, the South African mint issued a "Heroes of the Birkenhead Medallion" gold coin commemorating the 125 years since the sinking, featuring Hemy's painting on one of the faces of the coin.Script errorScript error[ citation needed ] Legacy Edit The sinking of the Birkenhead is the earliest maritime disaster evacuation during which the concept of " women and children first " is known to have been applied. "Women and children first" subsequently became a standard meme in relation to the evacuation of sinking ships, both in fiction and in real life.

The synonymous "Birkenhead drill" became an exemplar of courageous behaviour in hopeless circumstances, and appeared in Rudyard Kipling's 1893 tribute to the Royal Marines , "Soldier an' Sailor Too": [1] To take your chance in the thick of a rush, with firing all about, Is nothing so bad when you've cover to 'and, an' leave an' likin' to shout; But to stand an' be still to the Birken'ead drill is a damn tough bullet to chew, An' they done it, the Jollies -- 'Er Majesty's Jollies -- soldier an' sailor too! Their work was done when it 'adn't begun; they was younger nor me an' you; Their choice it was plain between drownin' in 'eaps an' bein' mopped by the screw, So they stood an' was still to the Birken'ead drill, soldier an' sailor too The phrase also appears in Robert A.

Heinlein 's 1956 Double Star : I knew I was sunk-but, damn it, if you are caught by the Birkenhead Drill, the least you owe yourself is to stand at attention while the ship goes down. And in David Weber 's 1991 novel Mutineers' Moon : And if he was caught in the Birkenhead Drill, he could at least try to do his best till the ship went down. Birkenhead treasure Edit The paddle shaft of the wreck There is a persistent rumour that the Birkenhead was carrying a military payroll of £240,000 in gold coins [2] [3] weighing about three tons, which had been secretly stored in the powder-room before the final voyage. Numerous attempts have been made to salvage the gold. In 1893, the nephew of Colonel Seton wrote that a certain Mr. Bandmann at the Cape obtained permission from the Cape Government to dive the wreck of the Birkenhead in search of the treasure. [4] A June 1958 salvage attempt by a renowned Cape Town diver recovered anchors and some brass fittings, but no gold.

[5] In 1986-1988, a combined archaeological and salvage excavation was carried out by Aqua Exploration, Depth Recovery Unit and Pentow Marine Salvage Company. Only a few gold coins were recovered, which appear to have been the personal possessions of the passengers and crew. [2] [6] The rumour of treasure and the shallow depth of the wreck at Script error have resulted in the wreck being considerably disturbed over the years, despite its being a war grave . In 1989, the British and South African governments entered into an agreement over the salvage of the wreck, sharing any gold recovered. [1] HMS Birkenhead as namesake Edit Three placenames in the Canadian province of British Columbia were conferred in honour of the Birkenhead disaster by Hudson's Bay Company explorer Alexander Caulfield Anderson , a boyhood friend and cousin of Lt-Col. Seton of the 74th Regiment of Foot , on a traverse of uncharted country between the Fraser Canyon and the coastal Lower Mainland in 1846. [2] Named after his cousin, Seton Lake cuts west through the Coast Mountains from the Fraser Canyon town of Lillooet , beyond which is its twin Anderson Lake .

A few miles southwest from the head of Anderson Lake is Mount Birkenhead, on the north side of the low pass connecting the valley of those lakes to that of the Birkenhead River. The river, the valley area near Mount Birkenhead known as Birken, and Birken Lake at the summit of the pass were in turn named after the mountain, and not directly by Anderson. Other name legacies According to local tradition, Salmonsdam Nature Reserve in the Overberg is named after Captain Robert Salmond. [3] Locals to this day call Great White Sharks "Tommy Sharks" after the Tommys that were taken by them in water. [4] See also Danger Point Lighthouse and sinking of HMS Birkenhead Home Activities Rooms & Rates About us Gallery Reviews Map Travel tips Contact The sinking of the HMS Birkenhead and the Danger Point Lighthouse. In January 1852, under the command of Captain Robert Salmond, the HMS Birkenhead left Portsmouth conveying troops to the 8th Xhosa War in South Africa. On 5 January she picked up more soldiers at Queenstown and was also conveying some officers' wives and families.

On 23 February 1852, the Birkenhead docked at Simonstown, near Cape Town. Most of the women and children disembarked along with a number of sick soldiers. Nine cavalry horses and several bales of hay were loaded for the last leg of the voyage to Algoa Bay. In the late afternoon of 25 February 1852, the Birkenhead left Simon's Bay with approximately 643 men, women, and children aboard, under instructions to reach its destination at Algoa Bay as quickly as possible. In order to make the best possible speed, Captain Salmond decided to hug the South African coast, setting a course which was generally within 3 miles (4.8 km) of the shore. She maintained a steady speed of 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h). The sea was calm and the night was clear as she left False Bay and headed east. At 2 a.m. the following morning, the Birkenhead struck an uncharted rock near Danger Point (today near Gansbaai). The barely submerged rock is clearly visible in rough seas, however it is not immediately apparent in calmer conditions.

The initial impact ripped open the forward watertight compartment between the engine room and the fore peak, immediately flooding it and drowning over 100 soldiers in their hammocks. A second impact ripped open the bilge in the engine room, resulting in the two largest watertight compartments in the vessel being flooded. The surviving officers and men assembled on deck. Distress rockets were fired, but there was no assistance available. Sixty men were detailed to man the chain pumps, sixty more were assigned to the tackles of the lifeboats, while the rest were assembled on the poop deck, in order to raise the forward part of the ship. Poor maintenance and paint on the winches resulted in only a few of the ship's lifeboats being launched, and the two large boats, with capacities of 150 men each, were not among them. Eventually two cutters and a gig were launched, onto which all the women and children were placed and rowed away for safety.

Only then did Captain Salmond order that those men who could swim should save themselves by swimming to the boats; Lieutenant-Colonel Seton, however, recognising that rushing the lifeboats would risk swamping them and endangering the women and children, ordered the men to stand fast. The cavalry horses were freed and driven into the sea in the hope that they might be able to swim ashore. The soldiers did not move, even as the ship broke up barely twenty minutes after striking the rock. Some of the soldiers managed to swim the 2 miles (3.2 km) to shore over the next twelve hours, often hanging on to pieces of the wreck to stay afloat; however, most either drowned or were taken by sharks. The next morning the schooner Lioness discovered one of the cutters, and after saving the occupants of the second boat made her way to the scene of the disaster. Arriving in the afternoon, she rescued as many people as possible. It was reported that of the 643 people aboard the Birkenhead, only 193 were saved. The actual number of personnel aboard is in some doubt, but an estimate of 638 was published in the The Times newspaper.

It is generally thought that the survivors comprised 113 Army personnel (all ranks), 6 Royal Marines, 54 seamen (all ranks), 7 women 13 children and at least 1 male civilian, but these numbers cannot be substantiated as muster rolls and books were lost with the ship. Of the horses onboard, eight made it safely to land, while the ninth had its leg broken while being pushed into the sea. This disaster started the protocol of "women and children first!", which became a standard evacuation procedure in maritime disasters. Similarly, "Birkenhead Drill" carried out by the soldiers became the epitome of courageous behaviour in hopeless circumstances. In 1895, a lighthouse was erected at Danger Point to warn shipping of the dangerous reef. The lighthouse is about 18 metres (59 ft) tall and is visible for approximately 25 nautical miles (46 km). A remembrance plate for the Birkenhead is affixed to its base, and points to the rock where the ship was wrecked.

External links for HMS Birkenhead and Danger Point Lighthouse: HMS Birkenhead and the Birkenhead Drill - Women and Children First By Ben Johnson | Comments Under the command of Captain Robert Salmond, H.M.S. Birkenhead left Portsmouth in January 1852 taking troops to fight in the Frontier War in South Africa. The Birkenhead, one of the first iron hulled paddle steamers in service travelled to southern Ireland, before heading for the Cape on 17th January. The troops onboard included drafts of Fusiliers, Highlanders, Lancers, Foresters, Rifles, Green Jackets and assorted other regiments of the British Army. After taking on fresh water and supplies the Birkenhead steamed out of Simon's Bay near Cape Town, in the late afternoon of 25th February, with about 634 men, women and children on board. With weather conditions perfect, a clear blue sky and a flat and calm sea, the Birkenhead continued steadily on her passage. Captain Salmond, whose family had served in the Royal Navy since the reign of Elizabeth I , had received orders to use all possible haste to reach his destination of Algoa Bay.

In order to speed up the trip he decided to hug the South African coastline as closely as possible. This course kept the Birkenhead within approximately three miles of the coast, maintaining a speed of approximately 8 knots. It was in the early hours of 26th February, approaching a rocky outcrop called Danger Point, some 180 km from Cape Town that disaster struck. With the exception of the duty watch, everyone else was tucked up asleep in their quarters. The watch were scanning the clear glowing waters ahead and the Leadman had just called “Sounding 12 Fathoms” when the Birkenhead rammed an uncharted rock. The churning paddle wheels of the Birkenhead drove her on with such force that the rock sliced through into the hull ripping open the compartment between the engine-room and forepeak. Water flooded into the forward compartment of the lower troop deck filling it instantly. Hundreds of soldiers were trapped and drowned in their hammocks as they slept. All the surviving officers and men who could, assembled on deck. Some of the soldiers stood barefoot dressed only in their night-clothes, others less lucky were naked and many with the injuries sustained as they clawed their way from the flooded troop quarters.

The senior officer on board, Lieutenant-Colonel Seton of the 74th Royal Highland Fusiliers took charge of all military personnel. He immediately summoned his officers around him and stressed the importance of maintaining order and discipline amongst the inexperienced soldiers. Distress rockets were fired, but there was no help at hand. Realising the hopeless position they were in, the captain ordered the lifeboats to be lowered. Much of the lowering equipment would not function, due to a lack of maintenance and a thick layer of paint that clogged the mechanisms. That night under a clear starry sky the great naval tradition of “women and children first” was established as eventually two cutters and a gig were launched and the seven women and thirteen children were rowed away from the wreck to safety. The horses were cut loose and thrown overboard. Only then did Captain Salmond shout to the men that everyone who could swim must save themselves by jumping into the sea and make for the boats. Lieutenant-Colonel Seton, the soldier's commanding officer, quickly recognised that such a rush would mean that the lifeboats could be swamped and the lives of the women and children onboard would thus be endangered. He drew his sword and ordered his men to stand fast.

The untried soldiers did not move even as the ship split in two and the gallant company slipped down into the waves. The Birkenhead sank only twenty-five minutes after she had struck the rocks, only the topmast and sailcloth remained visible above the water with about fifty men still clinging to them. The sea was full of men desperate for anything that could float. Death by drowning came quickly to many of them, but the more unfortunate were taken by the Great White sharks. The next morning the schooner Lioness reached the lifeboats rescuing those onboard, after which she headed for the scene of the disaster reaching the wreck that afternoon, picking up the remaining survivors. Of the 634 people onboard the Birkenhead, only 193 were saved. Rudyard Kipling immortalised the silent heroes when he wrote; ‘To stand and be still to the Birken’ead Drill is a damn tough bullet to chew’.

On the wall of St Mary's Church in Bury St Edmunds is a memorial to the men of the Suffolk Regiment who were lost in the HMS Birkenhead disaster of 1852: Historic UK would like to thank; The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Museum (Warwickshire), St. John’s House, Warwick, for their help in researching this article; and St Mary's Church, Bury St Edmunds. Tweet If you enjoyed this article, you might also like... The Brittish Tommy, Tommy Atkins - It is 1794 in Flanders, at the height of the Battle of Boxtel. The Duke of Wellington is with his first command, the 33rd Regiment of Foot, who have been bloodily engaged in hand-to-hand fighting, when he comes across a soldier lying mortally wounded ... Spanish Armada - The Spanish Armada set sail from Spain in July 1588, with the mission of overthrowing the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I and restoring Catholic rule over England. Nursery Rhymes - Every child has heard of Little Jack Horner, and has played, at some time, Ring a Ring O'Roses, little realising that these seemingly childish rhymes are based on fact.

Thomas Cochrane - Master and Commander - Thomas who, you may ask? You may perhaps be more familiar with his exploits as fictionalised in C S Forester’s Hornblower novels, or as Jack Aubrey, in Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey – Maturin series. Popular This Month Shipwreck.co.za - H.M.S. BIRKENHEAD 1852 - British iron, paddle-wheel frigate - Captain Robert Salmond. SALVAGE EQUIPMENT / ARTEFACTS AND TREASURE / FRAMED ARTEFACT DISPLAY ï¿½H.M.S. BIRKENHEAD 1852ï¿½ The Birkenhead was a British iron, paddle-wheel frigate of 1400 tons. She was built in 1845 by Laird and converted into a troopship in 1848. She changed her name from Vulcan to the Birkenhead . In December of 1851, the Birkenhead sailed from Cork in Ireland, under the command of Captain Robert Salmond. She left Simon's Town on the morning of the 25th February, after loading 350 tons of coal and provisions.

She had 638 people on board, including 20 women and children, 138 ship's officers and crew as well as 480 army officers and drafted men to aid Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Smith in the Eighth Frontier War being waged at the Cape (East London). At about 02h00 on the 26th February, she struck a submerged rock off Danger Point and in an instant the lower deck flooded, drowning many men in their bunks. All the surviving men, officers, women and children went up on deck. Lieutenant -Colonel Seton of the 74th Foot Regiment took charge of all the military personnel. The men were commanded to stand drawn up in line and to await orders and 60 men were sent to man the pumps. The Captain made a grave mistake when he ordered the Birkenhead to be put astern; an action which caused the hull to rip open, further. The sudden inrush of water swamped the boiler fires and the vessel began to break up: in its collapse the funnel crushed the paddle-wheel lifeboat, killing the men who were trying to free it for launching.

Lack of maintenance and thick layers of paint frustrated the men who were trying to launch the boats. Eventually two cutters and a gig were launched and the women and children were rowed away from the wreck to safety. The horses were cut loose and Captain Salmond shouted to his men that everyone who could swim, must save himself by jumping overboard and to make for the boats. At this order, Lieutenant-Colonel Seton commanded his men to stand fast, for should they make for the boats, they would endanger the lives of the women and children. The Birkenhead has secured a place in history due to the gallantry of her men, who, in the face of great danger, allowed the women and children to escape in the boats before trying to save themselves. "The Birkenhead Drill" - Women and children first! The Birkenhead broke up rapidly. Twenty-five minutes after she struck the rock, only the topmast and topsail yard were visible above the water, with 50 men clinging to them. The bow broke after 12 minutes, and then the vessel broke in two abaft the engine-room, the stern sank immediately. In the tragedy 445 People lost their lives.

193 People, including all the women and children, survived. The wreck of the Birkenhead lies in 30 metres of water. She is reputed to have carried 250,000 pounds in "specie" (gold and silver coins), which was the military pay packet for the troops fighting up in East London. In my research, it was stated during the Court-martial of Richard Bevan Richards (the Master's assistant), that there were indeed a 120 boxes of specie on board! Since her sinking, many salvage attempts have been made in search of this treasure, but to date, the specie remains unfounded. A thorough archaeological and salvage excavation was carried out by the combined efforts of Aqua Exploration, Depth Recovery Unit groups and Pentow Marine Salvage Company (today renamed Smit Marine), during 1986/7/8. The Gold Coins recovered were but a handful, which were "private purses" belonging to officers. Charles Shapiro cc T/A "Aqua Exploration" South African Historical Wreck Society The Birkenhead Drill - AgapeModels.com AgapeModels.com Jon Bius One comment Steve Budd submitted this wonderfully researched devotional.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13 (KJ version). Portsmouth, January 1852. The troopship HMS Birkenhead, 210 feet long and steam driven, moved smoothly out of port; on and below decks were men of ten different regiments, together with 25 wives and 31 children, family members of some of the accompanying soldiers. The troops were bound for South Africa, to participate in the eighth war then being conducted on the continent against the Xhosa. Ship’s Captain, Robert Salmond, tasked with delivering the troops, made a couple of brief stops en route to take on further servicemen, boosting their number to 693, before setting sail for Algoa Bay. The South African coastline was already notorious as a ship’s graveyard by the time Captain Salmond elected to plot a course which would keep him relatively close to shore.

His decision was founded in a desire to make best speed in that leg of the journey and as HMS Birkenhead slipped out of Simon’s Bay at 6.00pm on 25 February, the calm sea seemed to endorse Salmond’s reasoning. The bow of the ship cut through the peaceful water as the rhythmic pulse of the engines beat out a steady hum from deep in the hull. The crew on watch went smoothly about their duties as hundreds slept in their bunks. By 2.00am on 26 February, the vessel was still making good progress at 8.5 knots. Directly ahead, hidden under several feet of water, an uncharted submerged rock was waiting. Ironically, had the weather been inclement and the surface of the ocean undulating, it likely would have been seen by the lookouts but the flat sea, in a cruel twist of circumstance, hid it from view. The die was cast… Precautionary depth soundings were being taken at regular intervals but moments after the depth shrank suddenly to two fathoms (about 12 feet) beneath the bow she struck the rock violently and halted to the horrendous screeching of tortured metal.

It’s night; the early hours, the time when people are at their lowest ebb. The ship is several miles from shore and the sea is filled with sharks, all of which are capable of sensing the impact from scores of miles away and would undoubtedly have turned inquisitively to investigate the sound of the rending sheet metal. Catapulted from their berths by the sudden deceleration, hundreds of men, women and children struggle to wake and comprehend what has happened. Salmond went immediately on deck and shouted for the anchor to be dropped while the quarter boats were put down into the sea. His next order directed the engine room to reverse and take them off the rock. It was a catastrophic error. As they backed away the gaping hole torn under the ship let in water at a ferocious rate and HMS Birkenhead impacted the rock a second and fatal time. With the outer hull breached, the rock delivered a repeat blow, rupturing the forward bulkheads and bilge. Sea water spread through the vessel at such a rate that more than a 100 men were soon trapped and drowned below decks. From this nightmare (still only minutes old), poured the survivors up onto the top deck.

The majority of the soldiers and officers on board were young and inexperienced, relatively recent entrants into the armed services. Despite this they fell into an orderly muster on deck to await orders as Lt Colonel Seton took command of the remaining troops. All thoughts turned to escape as the fate of the ship unfolded with alarming speed. All the lifeboats, bar three, were either unusable due to paint on the winches or poor maintenance, including the two largest lifeboats (each with a capacity of 150 men) or were swamped on launch. The situation was clearly desperate. The cry went up “Women and children first!”. Quite who it was that actually issued the directive is not known for certain but it was an order that had never previously been given on board any ship or even thought necessary. So it was that the women and children were given precedence and duly loaded into the little boats, the remaining places being allotted in what the armed forces have always termed ‘Funeral order’ – the youngest, according to birth date first, until the limited spaces had gone. What followed in the wake of this was truly remarkable.

As HMS Birkenhead settled in the water, the lifeboats were rowed away to avoid being pulled down by the suction that would be created when she sank. The hundreds of men that remained on board were brought to attention. Some still alive, had wives and children on board the lifeboats. There was no time to say goodbye. Salmond cried out, as the ship broke up, that all those who could swim should take to the water and make for the boats. Colonel Seton however, knew that this would spell doom for the women and children and in a clear voice he calmly ordered the men to stand fast and not to strike out for the lifeboats that would otherwise have been quickly overwhelmed. Only three disobeyed. The cavalry horses, brought up from below decks, were cut loose in the hope that they might swim to shore. As HMS Birkenhead slipped below the surface, the men plunged into the sea and obediently trod water as the three little lifeboats made for shore between two and three miles away.

History doesn’t reveal how many drowned immediately because they were unable to swim or how many were set upon by sharks or how long the remainder lived until cold and fatigue dulled their muscles and they exhaled for the last time as they slid into the depths. A tiny handful miraculously succeeded in avoiding the sharks and swam to shore. History however, does record that their incredible discipline and self sacrifice resulted in 116 men, women and children surviving the disaster, while 438 men perished. Whether any of the horses made landfall isn’t known. The incident perfectly encapsulates the Bible passage that heads this account – John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”. Christ demonstrated this principal of self sacrifice, when he gave Himself up to the cross at Calvary for the sins of mankind. The Word of God enshrines that spirit of self sacrifice as the greatest demonstration of love for another. The men, who together, created the ‘The Birkenhead Drill’, each accepted the certainty of their individual deaths, in exchange for the knowledge that others would live on through the ultimate human expression of love. Men indeed.

The principal of saving ‘women and children first’ was later adopted as the standard maritime emergency procedure around the world. It has become known globally as ‘The Birkenhead Drill’. The King of Prussia (who later became the first Emperor of Germany) directed that the example of self sacrifice aboard HMS Birkenhead be posted in every barracks in his army. Rudyard Kipling was inspired to write a poem about it, entitled ‘Soldier an’ Sailor Too’: “To take your chance in the thick of a rush, with firing all about, Is nothing so bad when you’ve cover to ‘and, an’ leave an’ liking’ to shout; But to stand an’ be still to the Birkenhead drill is a damn tough bullet to chew, An’ they did it, the Jollies – ‘Er Majesty’s Jollies – soldier an’ sailor too!

Their work was done when it ‘hadn’t begun; they was younger nor me an’ you; Their choice it was plain between drowning’ in ‘heaps an’ bien’ mopped by the screw, So they stood an’ were still to the Birkenhead drill, soldier an’ sailor too!” Could you…if you had to…stand still…to the Bikenhead Drill? Christ did… …and this is where my original narrative ended. The tale of the Birkenhead’s demise was indeed told but a gentle nagging doubt questioned whether the spiritual content was itself complete. I sent the piece over to Jon who offered some typically succinct and apposite guidance on how I should approach the spiritual aspect and bring the various threads together. Initially I was stumped and try as I might, I couldn’t translate Jon’s advice into a suitable conclusion. It seemed the ‘fog’ masking what I needed to say thickened the harder I tried to clear the block. I confess I didn’t, on this occasion, pray on it but had a sense that I should instead simply let go and stop trying.

Eventually, I had a picture in my mind of the Birkenhead settling low in the sea as the men left on board moved into the water and the words God intended me to convey fell smoothly into place. It was at this point in the story when two tragedies collided to reveal not simply an essential truth but the essential truth behind the deaths of the men who stood and were still to the Birkenhead Drill… …some; a percentage who entered the sea, were undoubtedly believers in Christ, had accepted Him as Lord and Saviour and repented of their sins and at that moment, at the very end of their lives, several miles off the coast of South Africa, were saved by their faith and received beyond death into our Lord’s eternal loving care and delivered into eternal life. The first tragedy played out with the overall loss of life that unfolded as the Birkenhead disappeared beneath the waves. The second and most telling tragedy however, lay in those who, incredibly brave as they undoubtedly were, had not accepted Christ and were thus truly and eternally lost in both body and soul and this is the nub – we’re all travelling through life on our own individual ‘Birkenhead’, never knowing when that submerged rock will bring an end to the journey.

The life boat that waits to carry you safely away is acceptance of Christ Jesus and the repentance of sin. Receive Him into your life with a glad heart and you need fear the rock no longer. Memorial Built For Victims Of HMS Birkenhead Memorial Built for Victims of HMS Birkenhead Posted by Michelle Howard March 7, 2014 A memorial has been unveiled in Birkenhead (Wirral, Liverpool City Region, United Kingdom) dedicated to the victims of one of the worst maritime disasters of the 19th century. HMS Birkenhead, a steam frigate built by John Laird’s shipbuilders in Birkenhead, sank off the coast of Gansbaai, South Africa on February 26, 1852. Out of 638 people onboard, only 193 survived. Many victims were taken by sharks. The tragedy was the first occasion when troops were ordered to stand fast and the protocol of women and children first was used. As a result, all women and children aboard the vessel survived. The action became famous as the Birkenhead Drill through-out the British Empire, capturing a spirit of Britishness, and was used when RMS Titantic sank in 1912.

The phrase was also used by Rudyard Kipling in his poem A Soldier An’ Sailor Too, which was read at the memorial service. The memorial was unveiled on Woodside Promenade, Birkenhead, by the Mayor of Wirral Cllr Dave Mitchell and the Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside, Dame Lorna Muirhead. They laid commemorative wreaths as did representatives of the Armed Forces. Pebbles from Gansbaai beach, where the survivors swam ashore, surround the memorial which consists of three steel panels. The memorial was designed through a competition organised and judged by Cammell Laird shipyard, Andy Liston of New Brighton Lifeboat Station and Wirral Council. The winning design was submitted by Jemma Twigg of Birkenhead Sixth Form College. The memorial was then created by Cammell Laird’s apprentices with materials donated and costs met by Cammell Laird. Cammell Laird chief executive John Syvret CBE said the company is immensely proud to build the memorial. “This is a very powerful initiative that the company immediately wanted to support given our connection to HMS Birkenhead,” he said.

“It is very fitting that the tragic story of the ship, and the origins of ‘women and children’ first, should be remembered in the form of such a striking memorial on Merseyside for future generations. “It is important that our apprentices understand the long history of Cammell Laird and what happened to many of the ships built here, some of which, like HMS Birkenhead, became very famous for what they did or what happened to them. This memorial helps ensure even after more than 160 years that the heroism and courage of the men that day is not forgotten.” The Mayor of Wirral, Cllr Dave Mitchell said : “This memorial is dedicated to those who lost their lives off the coast of South Africa 162 years ago. I am particularly honoured to be able to welcome our Armed Forces to remember this event, and to bring together the people of Wirral and South Africa in a spirit of friendship and solidarity.

“The memorial will take its place alongside Wirral’s other important monuments to the fallen, including those at Hamilton Square and Woodside Promenade along with the wider Wirral community .” Birkenhead - Submerged Recommended Reading Birkenhead The Birkenhead was an iron paddle steamer of 1400 tons, and was launched in December 1845. She was intended to be a warship for the Royal Navy, but later a poop deck was added and she was converted to a troop carrier capable of carrying five hundred men with all their equipment. The tragic loss of the Birkenhead. On a stormy day in January 1852, she left Cork in Southern Ireland to convey troop reinforcements to the Cape. At the time, England was engaged in the Kaffir War in South Africa, which had become a major drain on the British Army’s resources. In addition to the troops there were thirty one children, twenty five women, one hundred and twenty five crew, and various military and Naval Officers, in all making a total of six hundred and ninety three personnel.

There was also supposed to be a shipment of gold valued at a quarter of a million pounds, which was to be used as payment for the troops serving in South Africa. A good momento. The Birkenhead made an uneventful passage to Simonstown where she took on fresh supplies of water, food, coal and also loaded aboard horses for the Army officers. On February 25th, with her decks crowded with horses and bales of hay, the Birkenhead sailed for her final destination of Port Elizabeth. She was making good progress in calm weather, when in the early morning, she suddenly shuddered to a halt with a terrifying crash. The Birkenhead had become hopelessly impaled on an uncharted rock. Twenty feet either way and she would have been safe, but now her hull was ripped open just behind the foremast, opening up her engine room to the sea and exposing her forpeak. Captain Salmond. Many of the soldiers in the lower troop deck were drowned while they slept. As confusion reigned throughout the ship, its master, Captain Salmond, made what turned out to be a fatal error. Under the impression that his ship was about to break up on the rocks, he gave the order to go astern.

The ship was torn right open, and water flooded in in torrents. As the Birkenhead writhed in her death throes it became obvious that the ship would have to be abandoned. The horses were blindfolded and pushed into the sea, where they were immediately attacked by swarms of sharks which hacked the poor horses to bits. Of the eight lifeboats on board only three could be lowered successfully , and soon two soldiers were assisting the women and children into the boats. Lt. Colonel Seton stood with his sword drawn in case any of the troops tried to rush the boats. His stance was completely un- necessary as not one of the soldiers or sailors attempted to get into the boats aside from those ordered to man the lifeboats oars. The Birkenhead Memorial. As the ship continued to sink, many of the troops manned the pumps to try and slow the inrush of water, while the rest , under Lt. Colonel Seton’s command stood quietly on the deck. Captain Salmond climbed up what was left of the mast and implored the rest of the troops to ” save themselves as it was their only hope of salvation". Lt. Colonel Seton. Lt.

Colonel Seton stood before his men and begged them to stand fast as any attempt to save themselves would only mean certain death for the women and children. The ranks of troops stood fast. Not one man tried to save himself. As if on cue the Birkenhead gave an almighty shudder, and then the sea started to wash right over the deck. Still the soldiers and sailors stood firm, heads held high, as they prepared themselves to make their final sacrifice. Throughout this tragic event the courage and self discipline that these men showed was to be forever recorded in history, and became known as the Birkenhead Drill. The ‘Birkenhead’ drill. In the end it took just twenty minutes for the Birkenhead to sink, leaving just the mast to mark her passing. The sea around the ship was littered with debris, and the bodies of those that had jumped into the water as the ship sank, were now calling out to the three lifeboats that had managed to stay afloat. Since these were crammed full of women and children there was nothing they could do but pull slowly for the shore surrounded by pieces of flesh and parts of limbs, all that remained of the sharks terrifying work. Auction Flyer.

Towards noon the following day , the schooner Lioness picked up the survivors in two of the boats in addition to at least forty men that she had found earlier still clinging to the Birkenhead’s mast. In all she managed to save one hundred and sixteen men, women, and children. Sixty eight men survived by hanging on grimly to the ships wreckage and were washed up on the beach, and the third lifeboat managed to round Cape Hangklip and finally beached at the mouth of the Bot River where they were given food and shelter by some local fishermen. Out of the six hundred and ninety three people on board, four hundred and thirty eight lost their lives. Relics So what of the gold? Well there is still some dispute as to wheather she was carrying any at all. In any event the wreck lies in only thirty feet of water and there has been numerous attemps to find it. So far nobody is admitting to finding any. Directions to the Wreck. The easiest way to find the Birkenhead is to drive to Gansbaai, then take the dirt road marked Danger Point. It can be a bit of a bumpy ride and if there is somebody in front of you it is like driving in a dust storm.

The road eventually ends at the Lighthouse which has the memorial plaque on it. On the point itself is a stone information notice with a groove on it. Line this groove up with the notch in the rocks as directed by the board and you will be looking right at the point where the Birkenhead sank. The Birkenhead Groove. If you get lost, go into Gansbaai and go to the local tourist information office. I had too, since I drove past the sign to Danger Point twice. They are very helpfull and extremely proud of their wreck and will give you a information leaflet with all the Birkenhead’s details. Book Cover Incidentally, when I came back to the U.K. I was browsing in a secondhand bookshop when I came upon this book. Its long out of print, but you might have some luck yourself. Its a good read and I have taken the liberty of using some of the photos. The Unfortunate Ship is by J.Lennox Kerr, and was published by George.G.Harrap and Co.Ltd in 1960. Amazed at how good it is.

The Birkenhead Brewery In the memory of this famous boat HMS Birkenhead, a brewery called Birkenhead Estate was established in 1998. With its many developments, the vision was to make this the first Beer, Wine & Water producing estate in the Southern Hemisphere. Nestled at the foot of the Kleinrivier mountains near Stanford, the surrounding scenery is enough to take your breath away. Fine food, water and beer are made to serve to perfection. 6 beers are available for tasting including – Black Snake, Honey Blonde, Old English Bitter, Premium Lager, Lite Lager and Red Reloaded Lager. This is a great place to visit and has a wonderful bar full of paintings of the disaster. Outside is a great patio area where you can gaze at a truly stunning view of the mountains whilst having a sip of your favourite beer. The brewery is only about 24 Km from Hermanus,so it’s an easy day trip.

Question: What maritime order is also termed The Birkenhead Drill?
Answer: Women and children first